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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be shocked that dh thinks deaf people should not be allowed to drive

77 replies

StoorieMidori · 07/08/2008 12:17

Started with this news story.

I am aware of arguments for and against deaf drivers (and have deaf friends who drive), but wondered what the MNers thought.

So Yes or No, AIBU????

OP posts:

unfitmother · 07/08/2008 20:19

YANBU
There's no end to peoples' ignorance is there?

coppertop · 07/08/2008 20:21

This thread brings to mind the stickers that they used to have on ice cream vans with "Mind that child. He may be deaf." Maybe something could be added to the training of drivers for the emergency services vehicles about being aware that a driver may be deaf?

Are deaf drivers really that much more vulnerable than road-users such as cyclists or motorcyclists? No-one has suggested banning those groups yet.

Hulababy · 07/08/2008 20:32

No way would I want a resit every so often! I hate the whole test situation. The stress of the exam is what makes me make mistakes. I can drive perfectly well, but not in that situation. The way tests are currently conducted do not benefit people such as me.

Not sure on whether deaf people shold or shouldn;t drive. I guess it needs to be on an individual basis as to whether each person is safe to be on the round.

unfitmother · 07/08/2008 21:37

Maybe we deaf people should just stay indoors, out of harms way?

BreeVanderCampLGJ · 07/08/2008 21:45

I must tell my deaf DH who has never had an accident, to give up his car.

I can hear the grass grow in the next county, and since they changed the tones on 999 vehicles, even I struggle to place where they are coming from.

So even if that poor man had only been partially deaf, he would have still struggled.

May2December · 07/08/2008 21:46

Have not read the whole thread, however, I think some deaf people should not be able to drive just as some hearing people should not. Deafness should never disqualify a person from driving - it all depends on the person - the disability - and how it affects them. Sweeping statements like 'you cannot drive with epilspsy, heart disease, diabetes etc., are very unhelpful. Most people with disabilities are fit to drive and this enhances their quality of life!

MrsMuddle · 07/08/2008 22:10

Many years ago, I was stopped at traffic lights and a policeman knocked on my window and told me to turn my music down because I wouldn't be able to hear an emergency vehicle.

The difference is, I wasn't aware that my music was so loud so I wouldn't compensate, by being more observant. I'm sure Deaf and hard of hearing drivers will ensure that they are more vigilant in other ways. This seems to have been a tragic accident and I'm sorry for everyone involved.

nancy75 · 07/08/2008 22:15

i do think that people should have to retake tests every so many years. my next door neighbour was still driving when he was 90! he had never sat a test because he learnt when he was in the army when he was very young and aparently this is perfectly legal?
( i am inclined to believe him as he was a high court judge and not the sort to ever do anything wrong)

cthea · 07/08/2008 22:24

Milknosugar - you say "the driver of the car he ran out in front of heard me scream his name and slammed the brakes on. he would have hit him if he had been deaf or had music blaring. so if im honest i would prob ban deaf people and radios" I think I'd rather ban irresponsible parents. What a horrible thing to say.

SilentlySeething · 07/08/2008 22:36

one of my kids only avoided getting run over because the driver of the car he ran out in front of heard me scream his name and slammed the brakes on.

What clever goats you have....[hmmj]

marcelthemonkey · 07/08/2008 23:09

I grew up in the town where this happened and my parents and brother still live there. This guy was well known around the town and had been driving for a while.
There are no winners in this case. Without a doubt the fireman should have slowed down before he went though the red light and didn't the guy in the car did nothing wrong.

However surely driving if you are deaf is the same as driving listening to an ipod or really loud music. I'm not saying people with a disability shouldn't drive but for their own safety is this really safe? Someone made a comment about deaf people staying away from roads but had this guy been walking he would have needed to look up the hill before crossing at the lights so would have seen the fire engine.

Its a sad case for everyone involved and something the fireman will have to live with his entire life as will the family of the man who died. I for one would be for having to resit your test every 10 years, even though i'd probably fail!!!

WowOoo · 07/08/2008 23:17

So sad. I think if I were profoundly deaf I would be too scared to drive. Especially after reading stories like this.

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:18

Am lol at this!

Am profoundly deaf and my reverse parking aside - which is a spatial awareness being woman thing rather than deaf as a post thing I actually think I'm a better driver than most hearing people - I'm very tuned into the vibrations of the car and very aware of making up for what I don't hear by looking for bikes etc and I have a special mirror for looking at DS so I don't have to turn to face him and I don't have music on as can't hear it and don't talk on mobile (handsfree or otherwise) as can't hear..

As for ambulances - well, I'm in the process of making a sign for the back of my car to alert them that there is a deaf driver who may not hear the siren, but as I'm so alert visually, I've always seen them in the rear mirror first and can see other cars starting to move. Besides, its up to the ambulance drivers to move fast only when safe to do so, so if I didn't move - technically, its not my problem - as far as I'm aware, I'm not required by law to do so...but I always would - just making a point iyswim?

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:19

lol at the suggestion of deaf people not driving - not the sad story btw!!!

cthea · 07/08/2008 23:19

marcelthemonkey - "had this guy been walking he would have needed to look up the hill before crossing at the lights so would have seen the fire engine." What if it was in a spot where he couldn't have seen the fire engine even as a pedestrian? What if this had happened at night? He'd then have seen the flashing lights. Would you allow deaf people to drive at nights, then? "the guy in the car did nothing wrong" and that I agree with.

marcelthemonkey · 07/08/2008 23:26

Like i said i grew up in the town where this happened so i know the place it happened really well. It is a crossroads and wherever you are waiting to cross you can see in all four directions a long way up the roads.

It was absolutely the firemans responsibility to slow down but if people can be fined for listening to an ipod while driving how is it safe to drive while deaf?

I'm sure there are deaf people who are better drivers than i am and i'm not saying they shouldnt drive i'm just asking is it safe for them?

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:28

Marcel - yes but how safe is anything?? Any driver, deaf or not, takes that responsibility when going behind the wheel...if I thought like that I wouldn't do anything!

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:30

Plus, listening to an iPod is a distraction and takes your mind off things. Being deaf doesn't do that - if anything, it heightens your perception of the world around you -I'm so visually aware you would not believe it! Except for reverse parking...

marcelthemonkey · 07/08/2008 23:36

Very true- when i'm driving its the other road users who should worry

I think this was a very sad situation where someone died and deaf or not it is a tragedy for everyone involved!

cthea · 07/08/2008 23:39

"you can see in all four directions a long way up the roads" Not quite, according to the link. There were bushes, trees and things in the way. If you can see a long way up the hill and in all directions then surely it would have been easy to avoid the accident for all concerned. As for "is it safe for them?" It had been safe for him since 1995 and with more attention from the fire engine driver he wouldn't be dead now.

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:42

I can see how not hearing the siren could have caused this, I really can - I'm not blinkered about this issue just because I am deaf.

However, although emergency traffic can and do go through red lights, its not automatic right of way, its more give way iyswim and I've seen ambulances go through red lights before - if its a bit dodgy to just zoom through them, they do crawl through then speed up as soon as they can safely do so. Very hard to call though..

marcelthemonkey · 07/08/2008 23:45

I said if he had been walking he would have seem as he would have stopped by the side of the road to cross. Its true he wouldn't have seen very far up since he was driving but i didn't say that.

I also said twice it was the firemans responsibility to have slowed down. I haven't placed any blame with the driver of the car. I still dont think its safe to be unable to hear anything at all and drive a car for the driver of the car more than anyone else.

VeniVidiVickiQV · 07/08/2008 23:48

My dad convinced my mum that her partial deafness would prevent her from being able to drive safely

Although I'm also sure that my mum quite liked to have an excuse not to fail in the first place.

It cant be any different to drivers who go around with thumpingly loud base music can it?

VeniVidiVickiQV · 07/08/2008 23:49

Umm that should have been !!!

PussinJimmyChoos · 07/08/2008 23:49

Ahh, but its a common misconception that deaf people don't hear anything at all - we do. Although obviously there are those of us that really don't but a large number do have some hearing to work with.

Personally, I only have 2% of hearing but with a hearing aid, I do make that work for me. I can hear DS babbling in the back (although I don't know what he's saying as am not lipreading him). I can hear the car engine as well as feel it, I can hear (and feel) when its time for a gear change and I do hear sirens, I just don't know which direction they are coming from - so if I a siren at a junction and couldn't see it front or back, you bet your arse I would crawl out slowly just to be on the safe side. Tbh, I think the fireman should not have been going at that speed through a red light - he should have speeded up once he got through it...

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